Medvedev: Russia needs its own regional jet

Aug 07, 2012

RBTH

Interfax

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Russia needs to develop a regional jet of its own.

"Clearly enough, we need a regional jet of our own. That's an obvious thing. Pending its development, leasing is possible, but we surely need our own plane," Medvedev said at a conference on short-range aviation in Novosibirsk.

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"We continue using obsolete Russian aircraft and we are creating favorable conditions for buying foreign aircraft. But we must be guided by passenger safety as the essential priority, not by other considerations, even if they have to do with support for domestic manufacturers or something else," Medvedev said.

"Easy terms of buying foreign-made aircraft must be a temporary measure, of course," the prime minister said.

"Given that regional aviation is being formed in Russia, we must think of developing our own planes," Medvedev said.

"We could do this on our own, which is hardly possible right now, or in cooperation with a world-class foreign manufacturer. I think the Industry and Trade Ministry, United Aircraft Corporation and the carriers community could do that," Medvedev said.